The Cuban Missile Crisis

1. The Cuban Missile Crisis

2. Learning Targets • Understand the situation in Cuba and the placement of missiles. • Analyze different, possible actions the United States could take to respond to the Cuban missile crisis. • Defend a possible action: Why is this the plan that will help you survive the Cold War? • Evaluate the results of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

3. Cuba - Bay of Pigs (1960) Communist Cuban leader Fidel Castro Some of 1,400 CIA trained Cuban Exiles • Revolution leads to Communist Cuba under Fidel Castro • Failed invasion by CIA-trained Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro JFK supports b/c Eisenhower criticized for not stopping communist Castro from coming to power;

4. Cuba - Bay of Pigs (1960) • Castro distrusts the U.S. & sought alliance with S.U. Invasion was an embarrassment to the Kennendy Administration

5. The Crisis • Soviets armed Cuba with nuclear missiles

6. U2 spy plane photographs sites

8. U.S. is vulnerable to attack JFK demanded removal • Khrushchev warned it “could lead to nuclear • war”

9. COLD WAR SURVIVORSIMULATION ROLES: • Host • Alliance 1- Pursue Diplomacy • Alliance 2- Blockade Cuba • Alliance 3- Destroy the Missile • Sites • The Tribe

10. Introduction of CW Survivor “Cold War Survivor” is a reality show where you - the capitalists - have to try and triumph over communism. Throughout this reality show, you have been faced with many physical challenges, such as having to wait in line for three hours for a loaf of bread, to having to dodge the KGB’s bullets. Your challenge today is different—it is a mental challenge.

11. Background It is October 1962. Both the Soviet Union and the United States have enough nuclear weapons to devastate the other country and large segments of the world. Missiles developed in the 1940s and 1950s couldn’t travel very far, so both nations tried to place them close to the other nation. For example, the United States placed missiles in Italy and Turkey. After Cuba became an ally with the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union placed missiles in Cuba. Pictures from a U-2 spy plane show that nuclear missiles in Cuba could be operational in a week or less. Since Cuba is 90 miles from the American coastline of Florida, missiles in Cuba could hit anywhere in the United States with little warning. You need to decide how to handle this situation. Your goal is to handle the situation without starting a nuclear war, because in a nuclear war everyone loses.

12. COLD WAR SURVIVORSIMULATION ROLES: • Host • Alliance 1- Pursue Diplomacy • Alliance 2- Blockade Cuba • Alliance 3- Destroy the Missile • Sites • The Tribe

13. Jury Job Role: Jury Member You have already been voted off the island, but still have a chance to survive the Cold War. As a jury member, you are responsible for voting off the last contestants on the show. To be a Cold War Survivor, you must decide how to proceed in this delicate situation. Six people on the show are left, and have formed three alliances. Each alliance will argue one of the three different options to survive the Cuban Missile Crisis and prevent nuclear war. They will present their arguments and you will have a chance to ask them questions. At the end of the show, you will vote off the people you don’t agree with. Be careful to make the best decision. If you don’t, nuclear war will result and you will NOT be a Cold War Survivor! Job: • Read the Position Briefings and complete the simulation preparation. • Listen to arguments and ask questions. • Vote off tribal members you don’t agree with.

15. JFK announces decision to blockade Cuba to the public on T.V. • JFK placed a blockade on Cuba • for 13 days on brink of nuclear war

17. Soviet ship Poltava on its way to Cuba (CIA photo) • Soviet ships turned back at the last minute

18. The Compromise Members of ExComm and JFK planning a compromise • Soviet missiles removed from Cuba • U.S. promised not to invade Cuba • U.S. removed missiles from Italy and Turkey

19. JFK signs Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963 • “Hotline” between the Soviet Union and U.S. leaders • Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: no • testing of nuclear weapons above ground • JFK foreign policy success